


Unrequited

by LunarLullabies



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Unrequited Love, Wedding, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 14:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15709284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunarLullabies/pseuds/LunarLullabies
Summary: When Betty and Jughead get married, Archie realizes what he had always wanted and will now never have





	1. Chapter 1

The air was cool, providing Archie Andrews with relief from the warm cluster of chatting bodies from inside the small manor. Everybody, himself included, were thrilled that this day had finally come, but Archie couldn’t believe it came so quickly. He was happy when Jughead and Betty had gotten engaged, and part of him knew it would happen, but what he didn’t know was that they would get married the year after they graduated from Riverdale High. They were a group of 18/19 year old kids. Archie told himself that was what felt off about the day, that it was because they were so young, but he couldn’t hide his real thoughts from himself.

Veronica had pulled herself away from the “pre-game party” as Archie had jokingly referred it as, joining the young man at his side. The two stood together in silence for a moment, taking in the view. The venue was beautiful, one Veronica was proud to have helped pay the rent for. The small manor was more like a large cottage, and the backyard lead to an amazing garden. Everything was set up, the chairs and arch all placed on the white cobblestone patio, with flowers still in bloom around the surrounding hedges, the autumn leaves creating a backdrop gold and brown. Archie pulled Veronica closer.

“Are you excited?”

Veronica smiled, but she raised an eyebrow. “Of course I am, Betty is my best friend in the entire world. I’m so happy for her, and Jughead. Are you? You’ve been acting strange all day.”

Archie took a breath, “Yes, totally excited. I’m just nervous, I guess, about being best man.” He hoped Veronica wouldn’t be able to tell he was lying, although it wasn’t a complete lie. He was nervous, yes, but there was more he couldn’t tell her because he couldn’t admit it to himself.

Veronica smiled and pulled Archie down to kiss him. She turned to go back inside.

“I’m going to find the strength to stand next to Cheryl up there. You should go find Kevin and Jughead, see if they’re ready. I can’t believe B is getting married in less than an hour!” 

She smiled again and went back inside. Archie took another breath and went to find the other boys.


	2. Chapter 2

Veronica sighed before she pushed the suite door open.  Immediately she was confronted by the smell of a sweet perfume and Cheryl’s voice.

“Trust me, Betty.  This will smell amazing on you!”  
Veronica watched as Cheryl set the bottle down.  Betty’s back was turned to the door, but her face was visible in the mirror in front of her.  She smiled when she saw Veronica enter, and she turned around to face the two girls. Her makeup, her hair, her dress, everything about Betty was beautiful.  Even Cheryl, who it seemed couldn’t say anything nice, loved her wedding dress. The vintage style that Betty had fallen in love with felt so right and looked even better.  Her dress was tea length and off the shoulder with long sleeves. It was simple and elegant, much like herself. She had tied a bow around her waist, the same purple gray tone that Veronica and Cheryl wore.  The two bridesmaids wore the muted color in a more modern sense, Veronica in a long, single shoulder gown, and Cheryl in a short business style dress with lace sleeves and along the bottom, her black choker complimenting her sheer black gloves.  

Betty was smiling as she swished her skirt around.  Veronica thought she looked like a happy child playing dress up.  

“I can’t believe today is happening!”

Veronica hugged her best friend, and she could feel Betty still smiling.  When the embrace was over, Cheryl stunned the girls with her quiet heartfelt honesty.

“Betty, I know we haven’t always gotten along, but I am so thankful that you’re letting me be part of this day.  You and Jughead are meant to be happy, you two were made for each other. .”

“Thank you, Cheryl.”  The blonde pulled the redhead into an embrace.  When they let go, Cheryl went to grab the veil. Betty gave a quick squeeze to Veronica’s hand before Cheryl returned and they finished getting ready.  
~  
Archie found the two other men in their suite.  He opened the door to see Kevin helping Jughead with his suit buttons and telling him that he was lucky his beanie matched his suit.  For months, Kevin had been trying to persuade the other boy into not wearing the hat on his wedding day, but he lost the battle every time he tried.  When Betty had said she wanted a simple vintage style wedding, Kevin had to give up his fight when he learned the beanie matched the deep gray of Jughead’s attire.

Closing the door behind him, Archie walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed.  He looked at his two friends and observed for a moment. He wasn’t sure what material Jug’s suit was, if it was tweed or wool or something else, but the dark gray matched the gray of Kevin and Archie’s traditional polyester.  Their matching brown shoes and muted gray purple pocket squares made them all look like British gentlemen. The memory of this realization made Archie laugh, prompting the boys to look at him.

“Sorry.  I just remembered when Betty was telling me about what we would all be wearing,”  he was smiling, “she told me how she thought Jughead looked like if Sherlock Holmes was a mystery author himself instead of a character.  She was right, Jug, you look like you should have a cane and a pipe, maybe one of those single eye things.”

“A monocle?”  Jughead laughed.  He loved writing, and he was happy that Betty thought he looked the part.  Kevin quickly ran his hands through his hair, attempting to fix what already looked good.  His attention then turned to Jughead.

“So, are you ready?  Jughead Jones is about to marry Betty Cooper.”  
“Yeah, I am.  I have never been more ready.”

They all smiled, but Archie couldn’t get those words out of his head.

_Jughead Jones is about to marry Betty Cooper._


	3. Chapter 3

The sun had just started to set, casting a golden glow over the patio.  Jughead stood under the arch, and he felt everyone’s eyes staring at him.  He was happier than he had ever been, but that only made the watching eyes feel more intense.  The sound of his best man’s voice immediately comforted him. Archie had leaned over to him, hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t be nervous, man.  You love her.”

The groom smiled at his friend and looked at the rest of the wedding party.  He had Archie at his side with Kevin beside him. Across the altar he could see the Maid of Honor, Veronica and Cheryl at her side.  They seemed far away, and he noticed the space where Betty was about to be standing. He was about to say something to Archie when he heard music slowly and quietly drift in.

The group watched and listened as the music grew louder, and as a beautiful figure in white appeared down in the middle of the rows.  Jughead turned his attention to see the rest of his friends smiling, and he watched as Betty walked down the aisle on Fred Andrew’s arm.  Although it hurt her that her childhood dream of having Polly as her Maid of Honor and to be escorted by her father were long past, there was nobody better that Betty could think of to hand her off than Fred.  As she drew closer, Jughead looked at the guest. He saw his father, Alice, Hermione. Kevin’s dad and Ms.McCoy. Pop Tate, the serpents and Toni. Everyone in Riverdale who meant something to not only Betty and Jughead, but to everyone standing up there was sitting in those seats.  

Finally, Betty stepped up to the altar and faced Jughead.  He smiled and took a deep breath before removing the veil from in front of her face.  Moving it back, he was met with shining eyes and a smile, and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling back.  She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, and Archie couldn’t help but feel the same way.

Archie stood tall and smiled through the ceremony, but his mind was racing.  He barely listened, but his heart sank the moment he heard the words “You may now kiss the bride.”

Surrounded by cheers and applause as Betty and Jughead kissed, Archie was confronted with a new reality that his best friend was now Elizabeth Jones.  And he knew that Betty would now never be his.


	4. Chapter 4

The reception lasted for hours, and long after night had fallen, there was still smiles and congratulations and laughter.  Betty and Jughead had never been happier, and yet Archie had never been so crushed. Finally, after watching the newlyweds share their first dance, and after dancing himself with all of his friends for hours, Archie saw Betty kiss Jughead’s cheek and step outside.  He quickly did the same, excusing himself from Veronica and following Betty into the night.

 

“Betty?  Everything okay?”

 

She smiled.  “Everything is wonderful, Arch.  What about you? You look upset.”

 

Archie didn’t want to say it.  He wanted to lie and smile and congratulate her again, ask her for a dance.  Unfortunately, Archie seemed to have a habit of making things worse, and he hated himself for what he was feeling.  Even more for what he said.

 

“I love you, Betty.”

 

The girl stared at him for a moment before laughing,  “I love you too, Arch, you know that.”

 

“No.  Betty, I’m in love with you.”

 

Betty’s face fell.  “Archie, what are you doing?”

 

“I’m sorry, Betty.  I really am, but I am in love with you.  I saw you up there, and seeing you in that dress makes me think how I was supposed to be the one moving your veil, and kissing you, and being with you.  Don’t you remember when we were kids? How you said that if I asked you to marry me when we were eighteen that you would say yes?”

 

Betty had tears in her eyes now.  “Archie, we were kids. If you loved me, why didn’t you tell me before I got married?  What about that homecoming dance, Sophomore year? Remember that? When you said you couldn’t love me like I loved you?  I moved on, Archie, why can’t you?”

 

“I don’t know, Betty, I don’t know, I’m sorry.  But I did love you, I always have. I loved you then and I love you now.”

 

“And what about Veronica?”

 

“I love her too.”

 

Archie’s voice was quiet and sad.  He didn’t watch as Betty wiped tears from her eyes in an attempt to save her makeup.  When she finally spoke, she was sad and angry.

 

“You don’t.  You don’t love Veronica or me.”

 

“Betty, of course I do-”  Betty cut him off, practically yelling at him.

 

“Then you wouldn’t have said that you love me on my wedding night!  Archie, I’m sorry, but you had your chance years ago. I’m married to Jughead now, and he loves me more than you ever could.”

 

Archie watched as she quickly composed herself and walked back inside.  He saw her put her arms around Jug’s waist and kiss him. She wasn’t saying anything about what had just happened, and Archie knew that she never would.  


	5. Chapter 5

A few days later, the group of friends stood in the parking lot of the manor.  Betty and Jughead didn’t have a lot of money for a honeymoon, but they were able to afford a weekend away at a small resort cabin.  After everyone had helped them finish packing their car, they stood to say their goodbyes, thank you’s, and congratulations.

 

With everyone hugging and smiling, Archie did his best to play along.  For a brief moment, he thought everything felt normal, before he felt Betty force herself to avoid his eyes.  As they all started to leave, Archie asked to speak with Betty alone.

 

The two stepped away from the car as Jughead got in to start the engine.  The pair stood in silence and watched the car for a moment before Archie tried to speak, being immediately interrupted by Betty.

 

“Bet-”

 

“Don’t.  Don’t say anything, Archie.  What happened last night, doesn’t matter.  I’m with Jughead, and I love him with my whole heart.  We’re still friends, we always will be. Please, though, please don’t try to keep me from being with him.  Think about Veronica, maybe you can try to love her as much as you think you love me. Goodbye, Arch.”

 

Betty stood on her toes and kissed the redhead’s cheek.  She smiled sadly at him before rushing back to the car. Archie watched her get in and he thought he could see the two kiss.  As they drove away down the winding driveway and towards the road, a cold breeze came though.

 

Archie walked back to his car.  Opening the glove box, he found a picture he had kept with him.  He saw two happy faces looking back at him.  Betty and himself, smiling together one summer night a few years before. He put it back in the box and reached for his wallet.  Inside was a picture of another smiling girl, only this one had silken black hair and a pearl necklace. Veronica, on the night of her confirmation.  He looked at her photo, taking in her image in a white dress of her own.

 

The boy smiled and drove off.  He didn’t know how he felt, or what he was going to do.  But Archie Andrews knew two things for sure.

 

He would always love Betty Cooper, the girl next door, and his best friend in the world.  And in a few years, the name “Veronica Andrews” would sound really nice.


End file.
